1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable machines for employment at the job site for converting metal strip material, such as aluminum strip stock, into simulated wooding siding. The simulated siding, which may in some cases be employed over correspondingly-shaped wooden siding and in other cases over wall surfaces of other types, is typified by bevel 8-inch siding having a single butt and double 4-inch bevel siding additionally having an intermediate butt. In both types, the siding further includes marginal interlocking means for employment in the assembly or laying of the siding strips on a wall surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable machines for the production of siding simulating wooden siding from metal strip stock have heretofore been developed, the machines in some instances being also convertible to produce siding of either the single-butt or multiple-butt type as desired for a particular job. Reference is made in this connection to patent to Knudson U.S. Pat. No. 3,791,185, issued Feb. 12, 1974. The machine disclosed, which is of the portable type similarly as Applicant's machine, employs ten sets of opposed strip-shaping rolls, the first seven sets of said ten sets being of a form to shape the marginal edges of the strip to define means for interlocking engagement with adjacent strips when the siding is applied and also to provide a lower butt. The remaining three sets of rolls are of a character to form the intermediate butt when that is desired.
In order to convert the machine from the production of one type of siding to the other, the lower rolls of the final three sets of rolls are carried by a support structure which is movable between positions in which the lower rolls are in strip-shaping relationship with the upper rolls of the three sets and positions lowered therefrom. As will be understood when the lower rolls of the three sets are in strip-shaping relationship with the upper rolls of the sets, the intermediate butt will be formed and when the lower rolls are moved to inactive positions, the stip will pass therebetween without further shaping operations being performed on it and a siding of the single-butt type will result.
Another prior patent of interest in this connection is Beymer U.S. Pat. No. 3,788,115, issued Jan. 29, 1974. The patent also discloses a machine for forming siding from metal strip material, the siding being of either the single or double-butt type. The machine of the patent has a first series of opposed shaping rolls for forming the interlocking marginal portions of the siding and the lower butt. The machine additionally includes an extension supporting three sets of shaping rolls for forming the intermediate butt, when that is desired, the extension being swingable between operative and inoperative positions. As a result, when the extension is in its operative position, double-butt sliding is produced, and when in its inoperative position, single-butt siding is produced.
In both of the above prior patented constructions, the width or span of the siding strip will necessarily be reduced when the double-butt type of siding is being made as the additional butt, the butt normally being 1/2 inch in width, will reduce the total width of the siding strip by approximately that amount. Thus, if the machine of either of the above patents is set up to produce single-butt siding of the standard exposed width of 8 inches, when converted to provide the double-butt siding the exposed width will be only approximately 7 1/2 inches or 3 3/4 inches for each simulated siding strip which would normally be 4 inches in width. A further disadvantage of the patented machines is that the rolls which are employed to form the interlocking portions on the marginal edges of the strip material for both the single-butt and double-butt sidings are limited to the first group of shaping rollers whereby a more desirable gradual shaping of the metal of the strip margins, which would result if all of the sets of rolls were involved, cannot be obtained.